251127-X-DW038-1001

U.S. Space Force Capt. Ryan Weber, 18th Space Defense Squadron mission director, stands with his team as they are recognized by U.S. President Donald J. Trump during a virtual meeting on Thanksgiving Day at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Nov. 27, 2025. President Trump expressed his gratitude to the team for their unwavering commitment to maintaining 24/7 vigilance in defense of the Nation’s space domain awareness. 18th SDS is the U.S. Space Force’s premier Space Domain Awareness squadron and provides and advances a continuous, comprehensive, and combat-relevant understanding of the space situation. The squadron’s primary mission functions are launch detection and tracking, space catalog administration, human spaceflight support, maneuver detection, breakup identification, reentry assessment, and comprehensive RSO database management. (U.S. Space Force photo by Airman 1st Class Ian Hawkes)